EXPEDITION MAP:

Itinerary:

Day 01: Your Port of Embarkation to Kathmandu

A Nomadier representative will be waiting for your flight to land at Tribhuvan International Airport and welcome you to the beautiful country of Nepal. You will then be transferred to your hotel and assisted in the check-in process as well. You can choose to spend the evening roaming the streets of Kathmandu or just relaxing in your room. Our representative will collect your passport, necessary documents and photographs from you to apply for your Extreme Urgent Tibet Visa (one-day processing) the next day. Overnight at hotel.

Kathmandu
Kathmandu is the capital of Nepal and situated in a valley, approximately at a height of 4,600 ft., surrounded by four major mountains namely Shivapuri, Phulchowki, Nagarjun and Chandragiri. The city is the gateway to Nepal Tourism and the centre of the country’s economy. Its history dates back to over 2000 years ago and it was on the ancient trade route between India and Tibet which caused a fusion of artistic and architectural traditions of other cultures that can be witnessed even today.

Day 02: Visa Collection and Day Sightseeing in Kathmandu

Kathmandu is a wonderful place for sightseeing and you’ll spend most of your day visiting the major and most renowned sights in the city like Durbar Square, Pashupatinath, Bodhnath and Swayambhunath. In the evening, you can choose to go shopping for mementos and local craft as a remembrance or just relax in your room. Our representative will deliver your passport and Tibetan Visa / Permit to your hotel room. Overnight at hotel.

Durbar Square

In history, Durbar square was the king’s seat of ruling and it is here that kings were crowned and their undisputed authority legitimized. Today, it is the traditional heart of the old town and still boasts of some of the world’s most spectacular architecture. The entire square is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is made up of three loosely linked squares and many terraced platforms which make for a great spot to view Kathmandu in motion.

Pashupatinath

Pashupatinath is Nepal’s most important Hindu temple and stands on the banks of the holy Bagmati River. The temple is located 100 mt. away from the end of the runway at Kathmandu’s International Airport and is a powerhouse of Hindu spiritual power to where, devotees of Shiva and Sadhus flock from across the entire sub-continent. Non-Hindus cannot enter the main temples but the surrounding complex of Shaivite shrines, Lingams and Ghats (stone steps) is fascinating and definitely worth the visit.

Bodhnath

Famed for its Stupa, Bodhnath pulsates with life as thousands of pilgrims gather daily to make a ritual circumnavigation of the dome beneath the watchful eyes of the Buddha. This is one of the few places in the world where Tibetan Buddhist culture is accessible and unfettered. The lanes around the Stupa are crammed with Monasteries and workshops that make butter lamps, ceremonial horns, Tibetan drums, singing bowls, plumed hats for Lamas and other essential Buddhist paraphernalia.

Swayambhunath

Swayambhunath is a place that offers one of the definitive experiences in Kathmandu. This sacred locale, a monkey temple, is always mobbed by monkeys and is a chaotic jumble of Hindu and Buddhist iconography. A gleaming white Stupa makes for its centre and is topped by a gilded spire painted with the eyes of the Buddha. What makes it an absorbing experience are the ancient carvings made into every spare inch of space and the smell of incense and butter lamps hanging heavy in the air.

Day 03: Kathmandu to Lhasa (3,600 mt)

A Nomadier representative will be waiting for your flight, of an hour or so in duration and over the majestic Himalayan Mountains, to land and welcome you to Lhasa. Lhasa is situated on the north bank of Kyi-chu River and in the Tibetan language means "Place of the Gods". You will then be transferred to your hotel and assisted in the check-in process as well. Rest is important today as you acclimatize to the rarefied atmosphere of this high altitude city. Overnight at hotel.

Lhasa

Lhasa is the erstwhile abode of the Dalai Lamas and in a sense, a forbidden city for long as visitors were once strictly prohibited. It is a quite a spread out city with a clear division between the western (Chinese) section and an eastern (Tibetan) section. While the western section has more modern suburbs, the eastern part is the more interesting for a tourist with its winding alleys and beautiful traditional Tibetan homes. Lhasa, though usually used as a gateway to the Tibetan countryside, has many attractions and your days in the city will easily fly by in experiencing its mystic and wonders.

The Potala Palace, the erstwhile home of the Dalai Lama, is located at a high point in one of the world’s highest cities and is a sight that has fascinated all those who have set their eyes on it over the last 400 years. The high point is Moburi (Red) Mountain, to the west of Old Lhasa and a view from there of Tibet in all its natural beauty is a view whose delightful memory will stay with you for a lifetime. The palace houses a treasure of artifacts from Tibetan history, religion, culture and art and stuns visitors with its precious sculptures, scriptures, Buddha statues and antiques. In 1994, Potala was made a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site, furthering its journey which began in the 7th century AD when it was first built under the reign of King Songtsan Gampo of Tibet.

Jokhang Monastery

Jokhang Monastery, situated in the heart of Old Lhasa, houses Tibet's most precious religious relic, a golden Sakyamuni Buddha which was brought as a gift by the Chinese Princess Wencheng on the occasion of her wedding to the Tibetan King, Songtsen Gampo. The Monastery is part of folklore with regards to its origins. Legend has it that the Tibetan King, Songtsen Gampo threw his ring into the air and promised to build a temple wherever it landed, which it did in a lake! It struck a rock from which a white stupa miraculously sprouted and the Jokhang was then built by filling the lake with stones.

Barkhor Market

A stroll around the Barkhor Market is the ideal way to get a firsthand look into Tibetan life and culture. The region has religious significance and paths for circumambulations but is at the same time a hustling and bustling market! It is one part of Lhasa that has quite admirably resisted modern world invasions and monks chanting their mantras can be found aplenty in even a short walk in Barkhor.

The home of the Dalai Lamas before the Potala Palace, Drepung Monastery looks like a heap of white rice from a distance and hence the name Drepung Gompa meaning ‘Monastery of the Collecting Rice’. The Drepung Monastery was once the world's largest monastery housing 10,000 monks and lies hidden in rocky ridges just 5 km beyond the city of Lhasa. Its star attractions are the 15m (49 ft.) tall statue of the 8-year old Maitreya Buddha and the annual Shoton Festival.

Sera Monastery

The Sera Monastery, 5 km north of Lhasa, is one of Lhasa's prettiest monasteries and once upon a time sheltered a community of more than 5,000 monks. It is built at the foot Tatipu Hill and is one of the most famous monasteries in Lhasa. The monastery name ‘Sera’, means, ‘Wild Rose’ in the Tibetan language, a reference to the hill behind it which was completely covered with wild roses in bloom at the time of the construction. It has three main buildings and its attractions include scriptures written in gold powder! The Sera Bengqin Festival is a grand festival held in the Sera Monastery every year.

Day 06: Lhasa to Gyantse (3,980 mt.)

Drive to Gyantse while crossing over Karo-La (5,010 mt.), Kamba-La (4,794 mt.), the colorful Yamdrok Lake and the Brahmaputra River (Yarlung Tsangpo). Overnight at hotel or guest house. The 260 kms from Lhasa to Gyantse should approximately take five to six hours of driving to traverse.

Gyantse

Gyantse in the Nyang-chu Valley houses the largest chörten in Tibet, the Gyantse Kumbum, a splendid tiered structure that offers stunning views to its visitors. The Gyantse Dzong, dominates the town’s skyline and there are many pleasant day trips that involve hikes from here to less visited monasteries close by. But even simply walking through the streets of this town gives you a quick and colorful collage of the modern Tibetan life. The town also organizes horse-racing and archery festivals annually which draw great crowds, both local and tourist.

Day 07: Gyantse to Shigatse (3,840 mt.)

Visit in the morning, the Kumbum Chörten and Pelkor Chode Monastery in the town before driving to Shigatse. Overnight at hotel or guest house. The 90 kms from Gyantse to Shigatse should approximately take two to two and a half hours of driving to traverse.

Kumbum Chörten

The chörten is a Tibetan development akin to the Indian Buddhist stupa made to safeguard the remains and belongings of the Buddha whereas a Kumbum, in Tibetan, means ‘One hundred thousand holy images’. The Kumbum Chörten is a multi-storied aggregate of Buddhist chapels in Tibet and forms part of the Pelkor Chode Monastery. That it has many rooms and floors is a very unique feature as it is rare for Tibetan chörtens to have more than one or two rooms. Known as the Pango Chörten locally, this is among Tibet’s most famous chörtens and has been so since it was first built in 15th century by the Gyantse prince, Rabten Kunzang Phag.

Pelkor Chode Monastery

The Pelkor Chode or the Palkhor Monastery is characteristic of Han, Tibetan and Nepali architecture and is among Tibet’s most prestigious because it simultaneously houses the Sakyapa, Kadampa and Gelugpa sects. Its star attractions certainly not worth missing are the Bodhi Dagoba, the Main Assembly Hall, the murals and Zhacang or the hall for the monks.

Shigatse

Shigatse is Tibet’s second-largest town and even has a Potala Palace lookalike, the Shigatse Dzong! The town was earlier known as Samdruptse and for a long time, has been an important trading and administrative centre in the region. Ever since the Mongol sponsorship of the Gelugpa order, Shigatse has even been the seat of the Panchen Lama and in history, the Tsang kings used to exercise their power from the fort at Dzong.

Day 08: Shigatse to Tingri (4,250 mt.)

In the morning visit, Panchen Lamas’ Tashilhunpo Monastery before driving to Tingri via Gyasto-La (5,220 mt.). At Tingri, one can enjoy the first sight of the world’s tallest mountain, Mt. Everest (8,848 mt). Overnight at hotel or guest house. The 244 kms from Shigatse to Tingri should approximately take five hours of driving to traverse.

Tashilhunpo Monastery

Exploring the twisted paths amongst the aged buildings in the 70,000 sq. mt. Tashilhunpo Monastery will absorb you as much as the grand views it offers will startle you. The tombs of the past Panchen Lamas are all topped with gold and massive Thangkas are spread out during festivals to begin a riot of colors. You can choose to circumnavigate the compound with about a one-hour walk including paths through the hills behind the monastery.

Tingri

Tingri is a beautiful little village with Tibetan homes, restaurants, guesthouses and shops and overlooks fantastic plains bordered by towering Himalayan peaks. The village has the remains of the fort Tingri Dzong which was destroyed in a Nepali invasion in the late 18th century. There are also other ruins close by, all sharing the same fate of being destroyed in invasions. Sometimes, the altitude of Tingri can be a problem for some travelers who find it difficult to cope with the acclimatization.

Day 09: Tingri to Rongbuk (4,980 mt.)

Drive to the Rongbuk Monastery via the Pang-La pass. It is situated below the giant north face of Mt. Everest. Overnight stay at guest house. The 90 kms from Tingri to Rongbuk should approximately take three hours of driving to traverse.

Rongbuk Monastery

Rongbuk Monastery is built to the north of the mighty Mt. Everest and from the monastery, the highest peak in the world looks like a lofted pyramid intended to kiss the sky. Sometimes, on a clear day thick clouds in the shape of a white flag seem to float right above the peak, a phenomenon that has been given the title of 'The Highest Flag Cloud in the World'. The five-tier monastery was built in the 19th century presumably by a local Lama and at a height of 16,404. ft. is the highest monastery in the world today. From a little ahead of the Rongbuk Monastery, you can see the Rongbuk Glacier Zone, which is the largest glacier formed around Mt. Everest.

Day 10: Excursion to Everest Base Camp (North Face) (5,150 mt.)

A two-hour (7 kms) trek from the Rongbuk Monastery will bring you to the Everest Base Camp (North Face). Return to Rongbuk for overnight stay at guest house.

Mt. Everest

The Tibetans call Mt. Everest, Chomolungma, which translates as ‘Mother Goddess of the Universe.’ Most people in Nepal call Mt. Everest, Sagarmatha, which means ‘Forehead in the Sky’. These are expressions which are not at all far from the truth. How else does one describe the magnificence of Mt. Everest, the world's highest mountain at 8,850 mts. (29,035 ft.), offering the highest perch on Earth? The Everest region represents nature at its most powerful, most awe-inspiring, most unconquerable. It offers an opportunity of a lifetime to stare the impossible in the eye. It is a place where every true Nomadier would definitely leave his/her heart behind.

Day 11: Rongbuk to Nyalam (3,750 mt.)

Drive to Nyalam while crossing La Lung-La (5,050 mt.) on the way. Weather permitting, from La Lung-La, you can have breathtaking views of the Himalayan range including Mt. Cho Oyu (8,201 mt.) and Mt. Shisha Pangma (8,012 mt.). Overnight stay at a guest house. The 315 kms from Rongbuk to Nyalam should approximately take seven hours of driving to traverse.

Nyalam

Nyalam is a small town 30 km away from the Nepal border and acts as a base camp for trekking in the southern Shisha Pangma region. It is well-connected in terms of internet and telephony with many cyber cafes and phone booths helping travelers contact their loved ones. Nyalam is also a day hike away from a holy lake, Dara-tso from where, on a clear day, you can see the glaciers of the Langtang and Jungal Himal, and maybe even Mt. Shisha Pangma (8,012 mt.).

Day 12: Nyalam to Kathmandu via Kodari Border (1873 mt.)

Leave early in the morning and drive to Zhangmu (the Tibetan border town) which should take approximately one hour to reach. From Zhangmu cross the Tibet-Nepal Border over the Friendship Bridge and proceed to Kodari (the Nepalese border town). En-route complete the immigration formalities. From Kodari, drive approximately for four to five hours to reach Kathmandu. Overnight stay in a hotel including a Nepalese cultural programme in the evening and farewell dinner.

Day 13: Kathmandu to Your Port of Destination

Today is the last day of an exhilarating part of your life as you leave Kathmandu. A Nomadier representative will transfer you to the international airport and wish you goodbye.